One method of trying to relieve the pain from cramps that a woman suffers during menstruation is to directly stimulate the walls of the vaginal canal. Typically, this stimulation is achieved by constructing a disposable sanitary tampon that includes a vibration mechanism. Prior art techniques have also included a power source and some control for the vibration mechanism that is located external to the tampon apparatus.
FIG. 11 illustrates a first prior art, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,782,779 by Kilgore, of a vibrating tampon apparatus 10 for easing a woman's menstrual cramps wherein the apparatus 10 includes an inner vibrator unit 12 and an outer tampon unit 11 surrounding the vibrator unit 12 which includes a vibrator motor 36 which is actuated by a tampon string 25 for imparting vibratory motion to the apparatus 10.
FIG. 12 illustrates a second prior art, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,183,428 by Kilgore, of an improved vibrating tampon apparatus 10 for easing a woman's menstrual cramps. The apparatus 10 includes an inner vibrator unit 12 and an outer tampon unit 11 dimensioned to be received in a woman's vaginal canal, and a remote power supply unit 13 disposed outside of the vaginal canal and operatively connected to the inner vibrator unit 12 for the purpose of preventing electrical shocks to the walls of the vaginal canal.
FIG. 13 illustrates a third prior art, disclosed in US patent application publication No. US 2007/0260210 A1 by Conroy, of another improved vibrating tampon apparatus 10 to provide relief from feminine menstrual cramps including a vibration element 20, a housing unit 14, and a tampon member 12. The vibration element 20 provides a source of vibrations and is contained within the housing unit 14. The tampon member 12 is fabricated of an absorbent material and covers at least a portion of the housing unit 14, while being held in place by retaining elements on the exterior of the housing unit 14. Electric power is supplied to the vibration element 20 by a remote electric power source, via a cable 16. The electrical connection between the electric power source and the vibration element 20 is controlled remotely by a control unit 18 that allows the apparatus to operate either momentarily, in a testing situation, or continually for the lifetime of the electric power source, which is for normal usage and cannot be interrupted by the user.
However, regardless of these prior arts just described there remains a need for the ability to have more controls of the vibration parameters for maximizing relief of user's feminine menstrual cramps and maximizing user's comfort. Furthermore, there also remains a need to reduce the disposable cost as the disposables are consumed regularly on an ongoing basis.